A two-day fashion hub at Marius Monaco is bringing together international designers against the backdrop of Port Hercule this week.
Thursday 16th April marked day one of a two-day fashion hub hosted at Marius Monaco overlooking Port Hercule in Monaco. Taking place as part of Monte-Carlo Fashion Week, the event features seven international fashion brands, each bringing something unique to the showcase.
Baíah, a contemporary swimwear brand defined by sculpted silhouettes with an emphasis on sustainability; Crida Milano, a refined Italian ready-to-wear brand offering timeless femininity; Daphne Milano, offering elevated springtime dresses for every occasion; Di Iorio Monaco, a Monaco-based designer offering expertly crafted heels; Presente Ancestral, culturally inspired pieces blending heritage with modern design; Sorellina Bijoux, delicate, elegant jewelry designed for everyday wear; and Yasmina Al Jaramani, refined artistic fashion defined by a detail-driven approach.
The hosted brands offer a full spectrum of fashion, from ready-to-wear luxury designs to swimwear, shoes, and jewellery. The kickoff event at 1pm welcomed a crowd of enthusiastic guests eager to discover the brands present. Guests had the opportunity to enjoy a welcome drink and hors d’oeuvres while shopping and exploring the collections.
The setting proved to be a natural complement to Monaco’s landscape, with a stunning view of yachts set behind the collections. The fashion hub will continue into Friday, offering guests a final opportunity to discover the collections in an intimate, waterfront setting.
Monaco’s Mairie marked the 17th edition of its One Birth, One Tree initiative on Tuesday 14th April at the Jardin Saint-James, with the symbolic planting of a carob tree — a hardy Mediterranean species chosen for its robustness and longevity.
The ceremony was attended by Marjorie Crovetto, Deputy Mayor responsible for the Environment and Sustainable Development, several members of the Conseil Communal, and Stéphane Valeri, Président-Délégué of Monte-Carlo Société des Bains de Mer, which hosted the event and financed the symbolic planting this year.
A simple principle, now in its 17th year
Launched by the Mairie in 2008 in partnership with the Office National des Forêts, the programme operates on a straightforward premise: for every birth registered in the Principality, one tree is planted. It forms part of the global Plant for the Planet campaign, sponsored by Prince Albert II, which aims to plant one billion trees worldwide.
In 2025, 732 births were registered in Monaco — meaning 732 additional trees will be planted in the Saint-Auban area of the Alpes-Maritimes, reinforcing reforestation efforts in the territories surrounding the Principality. Since the programme launched, more than 15,000 trees have been planted by the Mairie.
Since 2020, the initiative has taken on an additional dimension through integration into the Îlot d’Avenir programme, which focuses on introducing tree species better adapted to changing Mediterranean climate conditions. The approach aims not only to restore forest plots but to serve as a replicable model for sustainable reforestation across the wider Mediterranean region.
The Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation held the fourth edition of its Green Shift Festival at the Yacht Club de Monaco from 9th to 11th April, bringing together climate sociologists, transition town pioneers, committed athletes and visionary architects for three evenings of free public programming around ecological transition.
The festival, part of the Foundation’s Green Shift Initiative launched in 2023, moved to a new venue this year — the Meeting Room on Quai Louis II — and expanded its programme while maintaining its founding ambition: to open spaces for dialogue and imagination around sustainable futures.
“The Green Shift Festival is an invitation to imagine desirable futures,” said Romain Ciarlet, Vice-President and CEO of the Foundation. “By bringing together the perspectives of artists, researchers, athletes and frontline actors, it opens spaces for dialogue and emotion that help us transform our relationship with the living world.”
Three evenings, three themes
The opening evening on Thursday 9th April explored how storytelling shapes collective visions of the future, with historian and futurist Mathieu Baudin hosting a conversation between climate sociologist Stéphane La Branche and writer Jeanne Hénin, who facilitates workshops on the power of language.
Friday 10th April turned to cities and territories, in a bilingual evening, with Rob Hopkins, founder of the International Transition Towns movement, joining visionary marine architect and explorer Jacques Rougerie to discuss how we might rethink the way we inhabit the world.
Saturday 11th April gave the floor to athletes committed to environmental causes — wingfoiler Flora Artzner, freediver and underwater dancer Julie Gautier, climber Nolwen Berthier, athlete Younès Nezar, sailor Arthur Le Vaillant and mountain biker Yannis Pelé — with closing remarks from big wave surf champion Sebastian Steudtner.
Photo credit: Philippe Fitte / FPA2
Beyond the panels
Running alongside the evening discussions was a full programme of activities open to all: wellness sessions including qigong, yoga and sound healing, creative writing workshops, family activities, a bicycle repair area with Munegu Repair Biçiclëta, and a series of Happy Hours spotlighting local ecological initiatives.
Three exhibition spaces accompanied the festival. Inside the venue, visitors encountered extracts from Jeanne Hénin’s poetic dictionary Les mots qu’il nous faut, drawings by Jacques Rougerie, and photographs from Yannis Pelé’s World Tour project. On the Yacht Club quay, a selection of projects from the Jacques Rougerie Foundation’s International Innovation and Architecture Competition was on display, while the Healing Flags collective installation — created by the Aleksandr Savchuk Cancer Charity — was presented on the Lucciana jetty.
The festival also dedicated sessions to cultural institutions in the Principality, including two Culture Fresk workshops and a conference for cultural administrators led by Laurence Ghestem, founder of Culture Demain. School groups participated in a writing workshop with Jeanne Hénin, a Climate Workout with Younès Nezar, a masterclass by Rob Hopkins and a discussion with Jacques Rougerie.
The three days concluded with a concert by Bobbie, singer, songwriter and folk-americana guitarist.
When the world premiere of Michael — the long-awaited biopic about the King of Pop — took place at the Uber Eats Music Hall in Berlin as part of the Global Fan Celebration organised by Lionsgate, Universal Pictures and the Estate of Michael Jackson, one of the seats in that screening room belonged to Monaco-based film producer and philanthropist Monika Bacardi.
She was, according to those present, the only Monegasque invited to attend — welcomed personally by the Jackson brothers alongside the film’s cast and director Antoine Fuqua.
A premiere like no other
The three-day Global Fan Celebration drew thousands of Michael Jackson fans to Berlin, with a red carpet, an immersive exhibition featuring costumes and behind-the-scenes displays, panel discussions with the cast and crew, and a closing party. But at the heart of it all was the film itself — a project that has been building anticipation for years and that, based on early reactions from those who saw it, appears to have delivered.
Bacardi watched the screening with the dual perspective of someone who operates on both sides of the emotional and professional divide — as an engaged viewer and as a producer who understands precisely what each scene costs in terms of craft, research and execution. What she witnessed left a strong impression.
“There were moments when I forgot I was watching an actor,” she said. “The boundary between the performer and reality seemed to dissolve completely.”
Jaafar Jackson’s debut
At the centre of the film is Jaafar Jackson — son of Jermaine, nephew of Michael — making his feature film debut under Fuqua’s direction. Early reactions from Berlin suggest he brings something beyond physical resemblance: a stage presence that evokes the myth convincingly, capturing not only the gestures and the voice but something considerably harder to define and harder still to achieve.
In a landscape where biopics have proliferated with uneven results, Michael appears to distinguish itself through its ambition and its meticulous artistic fidelity, according to Bacardi.
Returning to Monaco after what she described as a lightning visit to Berlin, Bacardi spoke of the experience not as a professional engagement but as a privilege — the privilege of being among the first to witness what she believes will leave a lasting mark on audiences worldwide.
Michael is distributed by Universal Pictures. A global release date is expected imminently.
Hollywood is coming to Monaco — at least on screen. Margot Robbie confirmed at CinemaCon this week that the upcoming Ocean’s 11 prequel, in which she stars alongside Bradley Cooper, will be set at the 1962 Monaco Grand Prix.
The film centres on the parents of Danny Ocean — the suave con-man played by George Clooney in Steven Soderbergh’s 2001 Ocean’s Eleven — telling the story of the heist that, presumably, taught him everything he knows. “Before Danny Ocean ever stepped foot in Vegas, two masterminds taught him everything he knows — his parents,” Robbie teased during a Warner Bros. preview reel. “You’ll see them in their prime, pulling off an epic heist at the 1962 Monaco Grand Prix.”
Cooper, who is also directing the project, took over after two filmmakers departed. Robbie is producing through her company LuckyChap, with Carrie Solomon writing the screenplay. Filming is expected to begin this year ahead of a theatrical release on 25th June 2027.
The prequel is separate from a concurrent Ocean’s revival also in development, which reunites Clooney with Julia Roberts, Matt Damon, Brad Pitt and Don Cheadle for a new sequel.
The 1962 Monaco Grand Prix — won that year by Bruce McLaren — takes place on the same street circuit that still hosts the race today, lending the film an authenticity that will not be lost on Monaco’s residents. No details have yet been released on whether any filming will take place in the Principality itself.
There’s something unmistakably Riviera-chic, iconic, and enduring about dining at one of the Grand Dames of the Côte d’Azur. It’s the blend of old-world glamour and timeless beauty that makes this part of the world so captivating — and keeps people coming back, year after year.
La Réserve de Beaulieu is one of those rare gems. Built in the 1880s, and expanded upon in the decades that followed, its full grandeur is best admired from the sea, where the pink façade rises above the shoreline. But even from the street, its Belle Époque elegance is clear — the sweeping circular drive, the voiturier at the ready — all hint at the exclusivity within.
The stunning courtyard of La Réserve de Beaulieu
A cocktail in the courtyard is the perfect start. Framed by lush, manicured gardens and set against the backdrop of the hotel’s signature tower, it’s a tranquil spot that’s particularly magical in spring and late summer.
The Bar Gordon Bennett – a tribute to the American journalist who loved La Réserve – feels like a portal to another time. Each evening, a pianist settles in at the baby grand, conjuring a 1920s atmosphere when live music brought soul to a space, rather than being a novelty.
Bar Gordon Bennet
The restaurant itself is strategically positioned to capture the most extraordinary asset of the hotel: an uninterrupted, 180° view of the Mediterranean Sea, stretching from Monaco down the coast, set against a magical mirror pool. It feels like an embrace — wide, warm, and utterly intoxicating.
Like the hotel that houses it, the restaurant gently reminds you why you fell in love with the French Riviera in the first place.
Le Restaurant des Rois overlooks the mirror pool and stunning Mediterranean Sea
The restaurant of kings, the king of restaurants
For almost 130 years, La Réserve de Beaulieu has stood as a temple of gastronomy on the Riviera. Within months of its opening, one critic famously hailed it as “the restaurant of kings and the king of restaurants” — a reputation that has never faded. With its seafront terrace, polished service, refined décor and one of the region’s great wine cellars, it continues to embody French culinary excellence.
Under the stewardship of Nicole and Jean-Claude Delion, it remains among the country’s most distinguished dining addresses. Today, Michelin-starred chef Julien Roucheteau, named Meilleur Ouvrier de France in 2019, adds his own touch of artistry with cuisine that balances creativity, precision and a respect for seasonal produce, drawing gourmets from around the world.
Michelin starred Chef Julien Roucheteau
From the moment you step through its arched doors — beneath soaring ceilings and chandeliers that have illuminated decades of discreet diplomacy — it’s clear this is a place where tradition and excellence speak softly but carry weight.
“Enjoy the ride,” says Guillaume Anglade, Director of Catering, with a smile as he takes away the menus, noting approvingly that the Menu Gourmet was a wise choice.
To start, a trio of amuse-bouches — light at first, building to a bold anchovy bite that jolts the senses awake. Then comes the heavily-seasoned bread and butter – undoubtedly the best I’ve ever encountered.
Left: the trio of amuse-bouches; right: celeriac ravioli with fresh baked bread and flavoured butters. Photo credit: Cassandra Tanti, Monaco Life
What follows is the chef’s signature amuse-bouche: a delicate celeriac ravioli.
“We often start with vegetables,” Chef Julien Roucheteau later tells me. “We deconstruct them, play with their textures and flavours to create something fluid, digestible — but also surprising. We want that first bite to be an explosion in the mouth, something that wakes up the palate.”
And wake us up it does.
First: crispy gavottes of crab paired with a featherlight tarragon hummus. A ginger emulsion crowns the claw, adding a gentle zing without overpowering the natural sweetness of the shellfish.
Next: Niçois-style ravioli filled with cockles, dressed with a lime-scented vinaigrette that evokes sea spray, and finished with a velvet touch of caviar. Delicate, saline, and perfectly balanced.
Left: crispy crab gavottes, right: the chef’s interpretation of Niçois ravioli, served with cockels and finished with caviar. Photo credit: Cassandra Tanti, Monaco Life
Then arrives the fish — a wild sea bass côtelette, carved with precision and kissed with smokiness, served alongside salicornia and a subtle Noilly Prat-infused broth. It is deeply flavoured, yet light and elegant.
The meat course follows: Vendée beef grilled with finesse, served with a celeriac mousseline brightened by green shiso — a perfect bridge between richness and lift.
Chef Roucheteau composes dishes that build slowly, quietly — layers of balance, clarity, restraint and indulgence, all held together by a deep respect for ingredients and the person lucky enough to eat them.
The chef uses butter, yes, but with precision and restraint. It elevates rather than overwhelms.
‘It’s true — you often start a meal in a great place, enjoying stunning plates, and by the main course or dessert, you’re full and starting to disconnect. Here, each dish is designed to be balanced — even the beef dish, which is rich. Yet every bite remains enjoyable. We play a lot on lightness and digestibility. That’s part of the signature of my cooking.”
Left: black fig dessert; right: sweet selection. Photo credit: Cassandra Tanti, Monaco Life
By dessert, your palate isn’t overwhelmed — it’s still wide awake. A sorbet of black fig, crisped into a polyhedral shell and dressed in a deep violet vinaigrette, closes the meal with elegance and surprise.
And just when you think it’s over, the dessert trolley rolls out — an indulgent array of French sweets: homemade marshmallows, nougatines, caramels, and other delicate confections.
The entrance to the Michelin starred restaurant
A Room With a Memory
The dining room is majestic without being stiff. The Riviera sun slips in through vast windows, catching the glint of silver, the ripple of wine in glass. There’s history in these walls — you can feel it — but nothing feels outdated. If anything, there’s a quiet confidence, a knowledge that the real stars of the evening aren’t the gold leaf or the marble, but what lands on your plate, and the way it’s delivered to your table.
And then there’s the view: the sea, always the sea, stretching beyond the terrace, catching the light just so. It doesn’t beg for attention, it simply becomes part of the meal.
La Reserve de Beaulieu as seen from the sea
A French Riviera Masterpiece
The story of La Réserve de Beaulieu began in 1880, when visionary restaurateur Pierre Lottier established a refined coastal retreat on the shores of Beaulieu-sur-Mer. Its name, taken from the original stone basin used to preserve the day’s catch, soon came to represent a new standard of Riviera sophistication. As its reputation grew, the property evolved into a Belle Époque palace, drawing a cosmopolitan clientele in search of privacy and poise. Today, with 39 rooms and suites and under the care of the Delion family, La Réserve stands as a rare example of heritage preserved without compromise.
A Lasting Impression
Dining at Le Restaurant des Rois is not about being dazzled — though you will be. It’s about being moved. Quietly, gently, with every course. It is about a memory being built, one that will sit somewhere between the scent of citrus in the night air, the hush of silver on porcelain, the shimmer of the sea just beyond the terrace, and the flavour that lingers long after the last glass has been poured. A masterpiece on the Riviera. A place to return to. Again and again.
Practical information
Le Restaurant des Rois at La Réserve de Beaulieu is open seasonally from March to October. Dinner is served daily from 7.30pm to 9.30pm, with lunch available on weekends and public holidays from 12.30pm to 2pm.
Reservations are strongly recommended and can be made via the hotel’s official website or by calling +33 (0)4 93 01 00 01.
